Good Membrane Switches Recommendations?

[winterbear]

Hey people,

So I have tried out my Leopold MX Blue and Browns, and I have decided I don't like either (gasp!), not that I dislike them, but maybe not the price I paid for them, or what I expected. (Actually, plan on selling them, to pay for a new keyboard maybe? Anyway, money=good.)

I was wondering whether anyone know any good quality membrane switches, or scissor switches? I am using a MBP at the moment, and I guess I am just used to the sound (though I can't say I'm a huge fan of the feel).

I know there is the Topre switches which are like SUPER HIGH QUALITY rubber membrane. But I don't know if I want to spend over two hundred dollars (or even, new, three hundred) for a keyboard.

So does anyone know if there are any good quality membrane switches I could just take a look at and so on?

EDIT:

i think you mean rubber dome, not membrane.

Sorry, rubber dome then.

Incidentally, am I right in believing that all keyboards are compatible with OS X?

[keyboardlover]

Keytronics are nice...

[The Solutor]

Scissors: look for "logitech illuminated keyboard" or "ThinkPad USB Keyboard with TrackPoint", the former has also a longer keytravel than most scissor keyboards.

For rubber domes, i think that with any IBM/Lenovo keyboard you hardly will go wrong.

[BucklingSpring]

You tried MX Blue and Brown... But have you tried buckling springs? (Unicomp)

Logitech with PerfectStroke (Scissor-switch)
NMB RT6000 series (very durable rubber domes, if you can still find one)
And of course, if you are lucky you can get a used Robber Dome IBM M in good shape.

[ricercar]

Goldtouch has an ergonomic dome/membrane keyboard with an adequate feel

Linky.

[nocturn4l3030]

Keytronics are usually the most popular

[What is X?]

i think you mean rubber dome, not membrane.

[wanabe]

what's your goal here?  just a cheaper option to try than blues & browns?

this is what id say:

-if you don't care about noise, consider a used model M (you will find them for about ~$30-$40 easily on ebay).  they feel totally different from blues & browns, but are loud.
-if you specifically want a low travel scissor switch, look into logitech illuminated or an ibm thinkpad usb as mentioned
-if you want to have an idea of what a topre feels like, look into a keytronic keyboard.  if you do this, make sure you find a newer one b/c they tend to get mushy.  they feel great for a rubber dome, but i dont like them because the keys rattle like crazy.  it feels similar to a topre, but it's not even close..hard to explain..

[EdiblePlastique]

Technically IBM Model Ms are membrane keyboards.

[Pylon]

Keytronics and RT7D5JTW Dell Quietkeys are what I'd recommend.

[brkim1324]

I heard DT35 by QSENN is nice. It's Korean brand so it's not so cheap but you can find in on Ebay.

[chongyixiong]

Consider this blasphemy - Try Topres. HAHA

But one of the decent membrane domes that I've used are the ones attached to University computers - the Dell SK8115

[noodles256]

you can find the QSENN DT35 for $30 at

starcraftmecca.net

[canon.tk]

I agree, these Dell keyboards are HORRID.

I couldn't disagree more.  The new release of that keyboard is an abomination to all computing interfaces.

That said, the early Dell SK8135 (and I suppose the SK8115 as well) is slightly better, and it's what i used for about 3 years prior to getting my Cherry MX switch boards.  The ones they're selling now are absolute garbage.  I don't know what changed, but sometime over the past 3 years the feel of the membrane changed considerably.  Immediately before I bought my Ducky 9008G2, I got a NIB SK8115 at work, and it's what caused me to pull the trigger on my Ducky.  I was still using my 3 year old SK8135 at home until a month ago when I received my Filco tenkeyless.

[noodles256]

my school uses those Dells

which is why i have a mech keyboard. they force us to code on those monsters

its like eating a sandwich upside down with your intestines hanging out of your freshly sliced open abdomen

gross

[BucklingSpring]

Keytronic Classic-U2 - $45.00, 20Millon cycles MTBF, Lifetime Guarantee.
No Topre glammer who's MTBF at 30Million cycles but only offer 1 year Garantee.

Depending on the location, this is 5x to 10x cheaper than a Topre. I say this is a FREAKIN good deal available NOW from various stores.

http://keyboards.keytronic.com/home/products/specs/classic-u1.htm

"The affordable Classic has all the durability and strength of the Lifetime line, built into a compact, space-saving design.  This keyboard features an extra large L-shaped Enter key and Windows application keys for easier Start and Task Manager operations. All keys are factory tested to withstand 20 million.

Affordable pricing and a Lifetime Guarantee make this 104-key keyboard a necessary addition to every user's PC."

Edit: This one is not bad either, but I do prefer the Classic
http://keyboards.keytronic.com/home/products/specs/ltdesigner-gr.htm

[BucklingSpring]

I agree, these Dell keyboards are HORRID.

YES INDEED...

But the DELL made by NMB in the RTXXXX (higher the X's the better) series were pretty good.

[chongyixiong]

Maybe the ones I  used were the earlier versions - they were pretty good.

I mean in a sense that at least they felt springy and not mushy.

OP wanted a decent keyboard anyway

[winterbear]

what's your goal here?  just a cheaper option to try than blues & browns?

this is what id say:

-if you don't care about noise, consider a used model M (you will find them for about ~$30-$40 easily on ebay).  they feel totally different from blues & browns, but are loud.
-if you specifically want a low travel scissor switch, look into logitech illuminated or an ibm thinkpad usb as mentioned
-if you want to have an idea of what a topre feels like, look into a keytronic keyboard.  if you do this, make sure you find a newer one b/c they tend to get mushy.  they feel great for a rubber dome, but i dont like them because the keys rattle like crazy.  it feels similar to a topre, but it's not even close..hard to explain..

From this and a few other people's post, I think I am leaning towards a Keytronic keyboard choice... granted they are compatible with OS X. And since it's summer I might as well see if I can find a thrift shop nearby...
But I don't really care about the noise in terms of loudness (I do like the blues for the clickiness, but I just... think the keys are a little too hard to press.) I also think I like how this membrane keyboard sounded like, when I was at TigerDirect today... and from clips on YT it seems like rubber domes sound similar (more than Cherries anyway).

--
PS. Thanks for the replies people.

[Daniel Beaver]

Early beige Dell Quietkeys are fairly good, and are what I use on secondary computers. The "Made in Thailand" models are somewhat better than other quitekeys, since they have independent sliders for the keys (which prevents some binding).

Incidentally, am I right in believing that all keyboards are compatible with OS X?

For the most part. You may have issues with special media keys and the like. A standard Dell Quietkey or Keytronic should give you no issues.

[Pylon]

I couldn't disagree more.  The new release of that keyboard is an abomination to all computing interfaces.

That said, the early Dell SK8135 (and I suppose the SK8115 as well) is slightly better, and it's what i used for about 3 years prior to getting my Cherry MX switch boards.  The ones they're selling now are absolute garbage.  I don't know what changed, but sometime over the past 3 years the feel of the membrane changed considerably.  Immediately before I bought my Ducky 9008G2, I got a NIB SK8115 at work, and it's what caused me to pull the trigger on my Ducky.  I was still using my 3 year old SK8135 at home until a month ago when I received my Filco tenkeyless.

 
I agree, they aren't that good. The feel is good, but the construction is super cheap and the longer keys don't have stabilizers so they tend to bind.

[Pylon]

As for the made in Thailand Quietkeys (RT7D5JTW), you can buy them new on Ebay for not that much:
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Dell-White-Quiet-Key-Quietkey-Keyboard-0463CD-463CD-/390226763652?pt=PCA_Mice_Trackballs&hash=item5adb53df84

They're fantastic feel wise. Also for Quietkeys, avoid the SK-8000; they're mediocre and the keys wobble a lot.

The KB-1421 variant of the new Dell Optiplex boards are pretty decent in my opinion and far better than the SK-8115/L100/RT7D50 models. They've got decent key feel and the longer keys are well stabilized, and I believe they have a metal plate (don't take my word for it though). There's also an SK-8175 variant, but I haven't tried it and can't comment on the feel. If you want to make sure you get KB-1421, buy it on Ebay or something.

[Dox]

We got some keytronic KT800 at work. They are some of the best rubber domes out there. currently 9.71$ on ebay. Hard to find a better deal. The keycaps are a bit thin and wobbly and the lettering is not impressing but again for the price it's my goto keyboard for corporate purchase.

The logitech illuminated keyboard is pretty good too for scissors switch with their "perfect stroke" travel that is deeper than average scissors. The illumination is nice too if you are not a touch typist and work in a dark environment.  But those keyboards are 10x the price of the keytronic.

[tapecon]

Tapecon Inc. is a leader in quality membrane switches. Check out their website http://tapecon.com or contact Jay Ziegler, Director of Sales & Marketing jayz@tapecon.com

Hope that helps!

Hey people,

So I have tried out my Leopold MX Blue and Browns, and I have decided I don't like either (gasp!), not that I dislike them, but maybe not the price I paid for them, or what I expected. (Actually, plan on selling them, to pay for a new keyboard maybe? Anyway, money=good.)

I was wondering whether anyone know any good quality membrane switches, or scissor switches? I am using a MBP at the moment, and I guess I am just used to the sound (though I can't say I'm a huge fan of the feel).

I know there is the Topre switches which are like SUPER HIGH QUALITY rubber membrane. But I don't know if I want to spend over two hundred dollars (or even, new, three hundred) for a keyboard.

So does anyone know if there are any good quality membrane switches I could just take a look at and so on?

EDIT:


Sorry, rubber dome then.

Incidentally, am I right in believing that all keyboards are compatible with OS X?

[wanabe]

nice website, reminds me of when I'm watching tbs

i listened to her whole speech and still didn't understand what this business is about

[brkim1324]

The Dell one is just typical keyboard.. you can use it IF you get it for free. But don't pay for it.
As for the typing feeling, I like it as for a university keyboard. but not necessarily for a choice.
I recommend Keytronics too. They provide good typing feeling as for a membrane keyboard.

[NimbleRabit]

Logitech Google TV keyboard.  When they roll that technology into their standard product line (or at least BlueTooth) I'll buy one.

Show Image

This is the nicest feeling scissor switch board I've used so far, it really is a pleasure to type on.  That said, I think scissor switches in general are pretty decent.  Just look for something that has a bit of key travel instead of the ultra-thin kinds and you can't go wrong.

[The Solutor]

This is the nicest feeling scissor switch board I've used so far, it really is a pleasure to type on.  That said, I think scissor switches in general are pretty decent.  Just look for something that has a bit of key travel instead of the ultra-thin kinds and you can't go wrong.

 
I'm not sure, but likely it use the same technology of K800 and the already suggested Logitech illuminated, which has also the advantage of retroillumination.

[The Solutor]

I agree, these Dell keyboards are HORRID.

 
I touched one of these just yesterday, I have no idea on how old was, but was really awfull to type on it.

Most of the "first price" keyboards bundled on basic office PCs are way better at 1/3 of the cost.

[canon.tk]

The basic keyboards that HP/Compaq used a few years ago actually were pretty nice.  Key travel was smooth and for a membrane board had a nice soft touch to it, not mushy.  I also liked the IBM keyboards, which I used at home until I got into mechanical switches.

All Dell keyboards from then to now are the suck.

I touched one of these just yesterday, I have no idea on how old was, but was really awfull to type on it.

Most of the "first price" keyboards bundled on basic office PCs are way better at 1/3 of the cost.

[The Solutor]

I also liked the IBM keyboards, which I used at home until I got into mechanical switches.

 
As I said is very rare to get a delusion from an IBM/Lenovo keyboard, no matter on the technology it uses.

[Pylon]

So here's my consensus on OEM boards:

HP
SK-2885 - horrible.
KB-0316 - mediocre to pretty bad, leaning towards bad.

Lenovo
SK-xxxx - basically, the black one with the blue enter - mediocre to horrible.

Dell:
RT7D5JTW - Very, very good. One of the best rubber dome boards out there.
SK-8000 - okay to mediocre. Much worse than RT7D5JTW, but still okay. Keys wobble; feel is okay.
SK-8115 - not that bad when new; key feel is really good and nice and light, but the board is featherweight and the extended keys lack stabilizers except for spacebar and right sfhit. Probably terrible when old; the keys are going to bind.
L100 (identical aesthetically to SK-8115) - horrible, SK-8115 with worse feel, same cheaped out stabilization, and much better keys. They're still probably going to bind.
RT7D50 (identical looks wise to earlier two) - probably the better of the bunch, though the stabilization is still cheaped out and it's going to bind over age.
SK-8125 - feel is wonderful; no stabilization over longer keys except space and shift, though tolerances are tighter than SK-8115 and it's more tolerable; those keys probably binds over age.
KB-1421 - Excellent. Likely metal backplate judging by weight, and the key feel is very good. Excellent stabilization across all keys it seems.

[Tony]

I have a Keytronic at home. Apart from that classic keyboard, I think modern Dell 8115 and 8135 models are good too.

[winterbear]

Right now typing on my new Keytronic E03601. It's possibly the most old fashioned keyboard I have ever owned, hugeness and everything (even the one that I started learning in wasn't this big, I think.)

But it feels really good I like it a lot! Thanks for the recommendations people

[mmmty]

As for the made in Thailand Quietkeys (RT7D5JTW), you can buy them new on Ebay for not that much:
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Dell-White-Quiet-Key-Quietkey-Keyboard-0463CD-463CD-/390226763652?pt=PCA_Mice_Trackballs&hash=item5adb53df84

They're fantastic feel wise. Also for Quietkeys, avoid the SK-8000; they're mediocre and the keys wobble a lot.

The KB-1421 variant of the new Dell Optiplex boards are pretty decent in my opinion and far better than the SK-8115/L100/RT7D50 models. They've got decent key feel and the longer keys are well stabilized, and I believe they have a metal plate (don't take my word for it though). There's also an SK-8175 variant, but I haven't tried it and can't comment on the feel. If you want to make sure you get KB-1421, buy it on Ebay or something.

That Dell QuietKey looks like a good deal. I might just pick one up. I tried Keytronic E03600U2 because it has Ergo Technology - don't recommend it.



This is my Dell L100 at work (after a paint job, free with every Dell machine). It's a decent rubber dome keyboard. But you feel like you're missing something when you switch to it from a mechanical keyboard.

[tamasrepus]

I might one of the few on geekhack who think the Happy Hacking Keyboard Lite 2 is one of the better rubber dome keyboards.

The layout rocks; and the stiffness gets better after a month or so of use.

[8_INCH_FLOPPY]

Consider this blasphemy - Try Topres. HAHA

But one of the decent membrane domes that I've used are the ones attached to University computers - the Dell SK8115

Show Image

The comment about topres was not blasphemy. However, that nonesense about the Dell SK8115 most certainly is. That... Thing is one of the worst keyboards that I have ever used.

If you want to use a good cheap rubber membrane, the Dell sk8110 keyboards are pretty good. At least they're better than the  8115s, which are terrible to begin with and only get much worse with use.

[daerid]

Apple Aluminum keyboard is still my current favorite scissor switch. Nothing I've typed on in the rubber dome world comes close, except for the built-in MBP keyboard.

[jpz]

I used the k750 briefly in Best Buy and it kind of reminded me of the aluminum mac keyboard.

[tamasrepus]

I used the k750 briefly in Best Buy and it kind of reminded me of the aluminum mac keyboard.

Can someone who understands Logitech's marketing explain it to me? How does a "very thin" keyboard make a desk sleeker and give you more space?

If they were legitimately interested in that (and possibly want to save on manufacturing costs), shouldn't they be creating tenkeyless designs?

[audioave10]

To the OP...good choice. I have a very old 3601 which is quite nice.